has someone been feeding my dog cheetos?!

Hobart's orange feet from the clay outside our house.

Some of you know the way our story goes, and some of you don't; in either case, please feel free to read on...

I thought moving away from my family, friends, and home in Minnesota would be the hardest thing I ever did in my life. Unfortunately, the last few months here in Australia have been even harder. Don't get me wrong, Australia itself and most of the people I've encountered since moving here are wonderful. I think to myself daily "why don't more people live here?" It is a stunning place and I am grateful for the beauty in the people and landscape that surrounds me here. During these last few months, however, our relationship with Chris' mother has strained to the point of estrangement. To be totally blunt, we have been brutally battered in the self-esteem department and have been struggling to keep our heads above water in more ways than one. Our commitment to remain sane for Ella and Iris, who are doing extraordinarily well by the way, is one of the only things that kept us going many days. These months have tested every fiber of our emotional strength and I AM proud to say that our nuclear family is actually stronger than ever. Though these struggles are simply tucked into a closet for now, we are at least moving on with our life. Because I can never go long without thinking of food, I used this analogy the other day to describe how I feel right now...These last few months have made me feel like one of those packets of freeze-dried food for campers--dried, hardened, sucked of all flavor, and rather useless. But suddenly someone has poured boiling water over me. I might still need some seasoning, but I can once again be worthwhile to someone.

* * *

About six weeks ago now (somehow it feels like both yesterday and ages ago) I got a call about a home economics/hospitality position opening in Tully, Queensland. Geoff and Phebe, Chris' brother and sister-in-law, teach at the high school there and had immediately put my name down for the job. I had already applied for teacher registration here, but was told it would take months for that to come through, so I was working at a cafe while I waited. Once I confirmed that I was interested in the job though, the wheels began to turn. Within two days I had received calls from the head of HR in Education Queensland's far-North Queensland office as well as the Queensland College of Teachers. They took care of my registration just like that, got me a full time teaching contract and asked if I could move up over the weekend (keep in mind they cover moving expenses as well). I asked politely for two weeks so Chris and I could each give notice at work, and before we knew it we had bought a car, packed everything up and moved! We are now living in a ridiculously gorgeous town called Mission Beach and enjoying it immensely. Life is still crazy in many ways, which isn't a big surprise considering we just moved 1000 miles. I am teaching hospitality, a little home ec., one music class, and one art class. Chris is doing his student teaching and a correspondence course to get his graduate diploma of education. And the girls are in a new day care. We had to find a house to rent as well, which was much harder than we expected because this is the area that was hit the hardest by cyclone Yasi and the destruction was profound. BUT, we are in control of our life again and feel as though we are slowly waking up from a terrible nightmare. We didn't expect this turn of events and it couldn't have come at a better time.

Living in Mission Beach is not without it's challenges (there is only one grocery store with limited hours, and basically nothing else for at least a half hour). I mean, we do have three liquor stores here, but you have to drive two hours to go to a movie theater! There are cassowaries EVERYWHERE, cane toads, green tree frogs, geckos, goannas, jellyfish, oh, and crocodiles. If you think crocodiles sound bad, follow this link and keep in mind they come right up to our house at times. Yet, through these sometimes scary, sometimes humorous challenges, we keep saying to ourselves, "it feels like we're on vacation". If you think of the way it feels when you're staying at a cabin on a lake in Northern Minnesota, imagine living in that environment, that feeling, all the time. It is truly therapeutic. We hope you can all make it here to visit sometime because I can't begin to express in words the way it looks and feels when you're actually here.

The girls are loving it as well, and for those of you who would like an update I'll give you their latest stats. Ella is three now, finally growing hair long enough to put up, using the potty, and hugging and kissing freely (her shyness is quite a thing of the past). She drives Iris crazy by both bossing her around and doting on her. She finally sleeps like a champ and cracks us all up constantly. Iris has been nicknamed "danger baby" because her second favorite activity is to climb up things that should never be climbed up (like the back of a rocking chair, or a metal screen door) and then smile at us proudly. She is tough as nails, yet still cuddles like a koala. She's still mostly bald but luckily has lots of teeth to help her through her first favorite activity--eating. I fear those thighs may never shrink. We feel fortunate beyond belief everyday when we look at them, and when we think of ALL the amazing people in our lives.

I love my new job, but am overwhelmed by the amount of work and time it is taking right now, so I can pretty much guarantee I will not be on this blog as often as I'd like, but I hope it will become a regular event again before long.

xoxoemily (mamie) and co.

One of our new friends...in our garage!

The view down our new driveway.

We can walk to this beach, seriously!

The movers especially liked this box! Return to sender!!!

Our two little monkeys.

A typical outfit for the beach, as we near winter in tropical far-North Queensland, ha!

hello again!

Sorry I disappeared. The easiest way for me to describe my long-term absence is to tell you that I simply haven't felt capable of writing on this blog in the way I would like to for the past many months. Our family has gone through a lot in the past year and the journey is very much not over, but I am trying hard to get a bit of Pollyanna back in my life, so I will attempt to update this blog more often. Here's a copy of our happy holidays update that I've been attempting to send out to people--at least people who I have addresses for. I am also charging every camera we own right now so that we can update our flickr site today, so please check back there in a day or two and you might find some fun things! Thanks for sticking my me during this crazy time. Love, Emily

Happy Holidays 2010

Wow, what a year. This has been the biggest, baddest (in a melodramatic 80's rock sort of way!) year ever for me. One year ago my dearest grandmother passed away, then there was the birth of baby numero dos, then my amazing grandpa died, I finished my fifth and final year teaching band in Edina, we packed our entire material life into a shipping container, and moved. To Australia. That's all.

Chris is doing great, already teaching in Australia and getting his reputation back on track here, though deeply missing the more relaxed dress code of teaching in our basement. Believe it or not, he's actually eating more sausages than ever, but is struggling to accept the fact that beer here is lame and scotch is expensive--thank goodness for Australian wine!

Ella is a character and a half. She's growing less shy, but is still deeply observant, particularly loving to watch a scene, then rely on her line "what was he/she thinking?!" She's after my own heart preferring to play in her toy kitchen more than anywhere else! She loves the beach, but insists upon wearing her sunglasses upside down at all times. And though she loves Australian animals in her books, she isn't too fond of the geckos that come into the house, and even hang out in her stroller! Her hair has finally grown enough that binders are nearly necessary, which might account for the fact that she looks less like Chris each day! At least she has his metabolism.

Iris, the born sleeper, who was comfortable in the world from day one, is suddenly feisty as ever. She is crawling and climbing everywhere and has thighs like her Mama (sorry kiddo)! Jeans are simply not an option for her unless we're trying to put her in a sort of straight jacket for her legs! She smiles more than any other baby I've known, and constantly laughs at Ella. She's a picky eater, but at least accepts avocado, the one food Ella has sternly refused to eat under all circumstances. Iris's favorite game is to put toy people in her mouth, head first, and leave them there while she plays. She's in love with water, and has spent her first October jumping into salty troughs at low tide instead of leaf piles in the front yard.

Hobart finally made it out of quarantine and was the hairiest he's ever been. After a shaky couple weeks he has resumed trusting us and started acting at home in his new home. He already has some new friends, but never fails to perk up at the sound of Chomsky on Skype!

We constantly miss Minnesota, but more than that, our dear friends and family who are still there. Please know that we may be far away in body, but are always there in spirit. The Sunny Coast will never replace the Land O' Lakes in our hearts, and no one there will be forgotten. We're only a plane ride away, or maybe a few plane rides, but you know what I mean! You are always welcome to visit--we love entertaining!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the support and love to help us get through this year intact. We hope you are having a warm and peaceful holiday season.

xoxo Emily, Chris, Ella, Iris, and Hobart

P.S. Sorry we couldn’t get our act together for pictures this year (you’re lucky you got a letter!) but if you're interested, feel free to check our flickr site for regular updates...

www.flickr.com/photos/moorewyse/

spring flowers

Here's a funny follow up to my last post. Last night I suggested to Chris that we do something fun today, like a take a trip to the zoo or go to a park. He hesitated and gave a non-committal response, so I asked why he didn't want to do that. He said we really needed to plant seeds for our garden. Then I chuckled. I said "when did you become such a time-A person?" And he said "I had to become one, because you are a type-Z person!" He said on days when I am really on fire I might make it to being a type-M. hmmm, I don't know whether to be proud of this or offended by it! But we did both get a good laugh out of it. So I guess you know why my blog posts aren't more regular!

I do want to update you to what has been growing in our garden, though. Iris Alison joined our family on March 8th. She weighed in at 8 lbs. 3 oz. and was 21 inches long, which is two more than Ella was! She's a great eater and an even better sleeper. She's a truly amazing baby. She looks a bit like Ella but is much farer. Ella always made funny faces with her eyes (still does actually), whereas Iris makes more funny faces with her mouth. She's a riot and we are thrilled. Ella also happens to be the proudest big sister I've ever seen. She tells people she has a baby that came from the hospital. And that she is Ella and that she is two. It's important to cover the key points with everyone. I am loving being on leave right now and never want it to end. I also am loving the weather. When I was home with Ella, who was born on March 24th, mind you, it was snowing my entire leave! It snowed in May that year! That is just wrong. It's great to get outside. And you can guess what Chris is doing right now--planting seeds in the garden. So no trip to the zoo today, but I did do the laundry and help clean up the place. And I also happen to have fed a little flower every couple hours, so I must have made it to at least type-S status today, right? No matter, just enjoy some pictures and the fact that I got them on this site at all! If you want to see more you can always check out our flickr site too. www.flickr.com/photos/moorewyse/

Happy gardening everyone!

pictures aren't working, just go to flickr and I'll work on it for later. sorry!

breech of contract

Here are a couple reasons that I am not a "type A" person: my house is most often messy, sometimes bordering on disaster; I love to do things spontaneously like making up recipes; I don't fold laundry well and I never iron.

I always wanted to fit the romantic image of a pregnant woman who glowed with admiration for her situation. I wanted to love the feelings of pregnancy, both physically and emotionally. Yet the truth is, with this pregnancy at least, I've generally found myself to be uncomfortable and out of sorts. Some of that was explained recently when we learned that this baby is not in the traditional head-down position, but rather a breech position. The rock hard little head is tucked up high in my rather short abdomen, pushing on my stomach, while the legs like to jab my bladder. The bulk of the baby's body is on my right side and the pressure on my right hip makes me walk like I need a hip replacement. Sooooooo, I am unbelievably pleased to announce that the birth of this sneaky little baby is right around the corner! We have a c-section scheduled for Monday, March 8th, and I can't wait. Since I've had a baby before I am not ignorant of how difficult the sleep deprivation will be, yet all I can think about is the fact that in 10 days I will get to meet and hold this little one. I worry a bit about how Ella will take this new Mama-attention-seeker, as well as the fact that my mobility will be limited for a while, but I know that she will be an incredible big sister and helper too. I can't believe how lucky Chris and I are. We'll keep you updated when we know just who we will be welcoming home with us in two weeks!

multi-tasking

I used to think I was quite good at multi-tasking. I prided myself on the fact that I could create complicated meals by myself, with each dish finishing at the same time. I could carry on in-depth conversations while cooking, crafting, or cleaning. It all seemed easy--automatic almost. But there are certain things I simply cannot do at the same time as others. Reading for instance. Though I am one of the lucky people who can read in a moving car, I cannot read while there is a TV on, or music playing, or anything remotely interesting. I guess by that explanation if the thing on TV doesn't interest me at all I could probably pull it off, but don't expect equal absorption as when I am in a distraction-free reading environment. Here's another one: being pregnant. For starters I seem to be incapable of carrying on this blog while being pregnant. And I think it isn't just the pregnancy, but the fact that I am pregnant, and working, and taking care of another child (which is totally nothing big compared to a bajillion other people I know, but it's still bogging me down)! I had no idea how much harder being pregnant would be for me when I already had a baby. Some things just have to be experienced to be understood, and I think this is one of them. So, I am sorry that I absolutely suck at blogging right now. I am not the most regular of computer users as it is--I avoid email unless necessary, I don't have a Facebook page, I don't Twitter. But I do like to write, and to share, so I am genuinely sorry that I seem incapable of it right now. All I can say is thank you for sticking around--you get bonus points for just reading this because it means you haven't given up yet though I have even considered it! So, here's some stuff that's fun and new in my world...

--Baby Moore #2 is due in less than 8 weeks, and I can't wait until he/she is here. I seriously can't wait.

--Chris finished creating the most amazing crib ever for our new little one. It is made of maple and cherry woods and is by far the most valuable piece of furniture either of us has ever owned!

--Ella is singing, pointing out colors, talking about animals, and counting to ten (apart from five, which she refuses to say) constantly. She is endlessly busy--though equally entertaining.

--Hobart is fluffy and smelly and snorty, but still adorable.

We have so much to be grateful for and I have to keep reminding myself that it's okay that I am bad at being pregnant and doing all the other things I once did and still want to do because we get a baby out of the deal. It's so worth it. Anyway, I hope to be here more regularly in the future, so please don't abandon me yet! Cheers!

Here's that most gorgeous crib. I hope that the next time you see it there's someone in it! Preferably on top of a mattress as well.

Ella the entertainer and her many funny faces. This one includes some crackers squirreled away in those cheeky cheeks!

This one looks like a mug shot gone wrong!

And Chris put it best when he looked at Ella's expression in this photo and said "I'm Ron Burgundy?"

The hair-do might have added to that affect.

You stay classy San Diego!

feeling industrious

Maybe it has to do with the fact that our family will soon be expanding, but we have been on a rampage of productivity around here these last few weeks. I should say that Chris has done most of the hard work, not the least of which is motivating me, but we are pretty excited about a few projects in particular. This weekend, for instance, we've already bottled Chris's first batch of home brew, and we have our first batch of tomatoes processing in the canner as I write! The beer should be really fun--a smoked porter--it's just too bad that I won't be able to enjoy it. I have a pretty strong feeling that none of the 46 bottles Chris filled yesterday will last until March! At least this way he can work the kinks out of the process and be producing perfect beer by the time I can partake. The tomatoes are so gorgeous, and I don't know if they'll look the same when they are done boiling away, but I sure hope so. We had about a 15 lb. collection of red, orange, and white tomatoes which layered beautifully into the mason jars. The orange and white tomatoes in particular are some of the most delicious I've ever tasted, so I keep hoping it will stay warm enough long enough to get at least one more batch out of them. Harvests have been disappointing this year because of the lame weather we've been battling all summer. Those are a couple of the fun, little projects we've been up to, but wait, there's more!

Chris has been spending time out on our dear friends', the Roses, farm, learning how to do a major woodworking project. He's building a crib. A custom designed and built crib of maple and cherry woods that will be our very own heirloom piece of furniture to use and pass along one day. I'll share pictures when it's done, because I know it will blow you away! I guess I should explain that Bill Rose is a professional woodworker, not to mention a general handyman, vegetable gardener, patient teacher, foodie, musician, and a all-around happy, nice guy. And on top of that he's married to a similarly awesome woman, Kim, who also happens to be a professional interior designer. I pretty much want to move in with them every time I go to their farm. We're so lucky to have such great friends.

If you've seen our tiny house, you're probably wondering just where we're going to fit this aforementioned crib. The two bedrooms we currently have are chock full, so luckily we've started finishing the upstairs expansion...finally!!! This is of course the biggest thing we've undertaken recently. We actually aren't doing the work ourselves, we've hired a fabulous contractor who completely understands our limited financial situation, and even specializes in working on a budget. He's fast, efficient, and does quality work, and we couldn't be more excited about having that upstairs turned into a usable space. It will be our master bedroom, but with a semi-separate nursery area on one end. We also can't wait to turn our current bedroom into a formal dining room so we can actually have people over to eat for a change. I know we'll have to re-evaluate the room situation before too long, but it will be perfect for us for a while at least. I don't have myself organized enough to add pictures right now, but I'll post some very soon, sans the long babbling narrative. Cheers!

distracted--that's how I've been lately

Do you ever wake from a dream that was so pleasant you just want to be back in it? I always try to keep my eyes closed and stay still as long as possible, as if I might actually slip back into the same time and place I just left. I've been waking up like this a lot lately. Even in the middle of the night when I'm awoken by a cranky Ella, I still have a smile on my face.

I had a particular dream the other day that was perfect. Unfortunately I don't remember more than one detail from the entire thing, but I remember that altogether it was perfect. It's sad that dreams often get fuzzy in our memories, rather more quickly even than regular information! But this one was perfect and remembering that feeling of happiness that it gave me is enough for me. After I woke from it, and was actually ready to break the spell and move, I leaned over to Chris and said "I just dreamt that we had another girl."

I don't actually know if it's a girl or boy, but we should find out some time in early March...

xoxoemily and co.